FG urged to increase SSB tax to 20% to fund health

The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation in Africa (CAPPA) has called for a raise in the sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax from 10 percent to 20 percent, with the generated revenue earmarked for improved funding of the health sector and the enhancement of nutrition among disadvantaged Nigerians. The CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, made the call […]

The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation in Africa (CAPPA) has called for a raise in the sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax from 10 percent to 20 percent, with the generated revenue earmarked for improved funding of the health sector and the enhancement of nutrition among disadvantaged Nigerians.

The CAPPA Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at a media conference.

He noted that manufacturers of these unhealthy products, including those in the organized private sector (OPS), and unnamed groups, have been employing various tactics to pressure and blackmail the government through misinformation campaigns and threats.

“Having consulted across regions of the country, we assert unequivocally that the current tax of N10 per liter is insignificant as it has been absorbed by the industry.